WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3031/98 by Odile LEPERRE-VERRIER to the Commission. Fares for large families
Date: 1998-10-08
Institutions: European Parliament, LEPERRE-VERRIER
Subjects: EU national, France, frontier worker, large family, rail transport, residence, tariff reduction

C 182/40

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

28.6.1999

(1999/C 182/050)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3031/98

by Odile Leperre-Verrier (ARE) to the Commission

(8 October 1998)

Subject: Fares for large families

The French press recently reported the Commission’s intention of banning ‘large family’ fares on the French
railways.

The Commission’s denials do not appear to have allayed the fears voiced by family associations and consumer
groups.

Can the Commission state its exact position on this matter and say how it presented it to the public,
particularly in France?

Many French travellers are also surprised that, despite the public service obligation ‘fulfilled by the trans-
frontier TGV trains’ no reductions are offered to families travelling on these routes. Can the Commission state
its position?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(4 December 1998)

Following the information that appeared in the press concerning the Commission’s reasoned opinion on the
availability to cross-border workers not resident in France, under the same conditions as to French citizens, of
the reduced fare cards for large families offered by the Société nationale des chemins de fer français (SNCF) (1),
the Commission published a further press release on 26 June 1998 emphasising the fact that French citizens,
whether or not they reside in France, retain all their rights in respect of obtaining or keeping an SNCF
reduction card for large families. The Commission makes the point that all citizens of other Member States
resident in France must enjoy the same advantage, and also wishes to make it clear that its reasoned opinion
refers only to non-French cross-border workers, who currently cannot obtain a reduction card. Finally, the
Commission states that it is not asking France, under any circumstances, to abolish this system of reduction
cards.

The Commission has furthermore initiated procedures against the three other Member States (Belgium, Spain
and Luxembourg) whose legislation imposes similar residence conditions preventing cross-border workers
from obtaining the reductions offered to large families (2).

SNCF and Westrail International (Thalys) confirm the information the Honourable Member has received as
regards the availability of reductions for families travelling on transfrontier high speed trains. According to the
parties concerned, there are, firstly, no public service obligations at all for Thalys services. Secondly, regarding
normal high speed services, there is no such obligation for international journeys and, consequently, no such
reduction schemes are applied to tickets bought for international journeys.

(1)
(2)

IP/98/421.
IP/98/884.

(1999/C 182/051)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3040/98

by Roberta Angelilli (NI) to the Commission

(8 October 1998)

Subject: Discrimination between citizens in the province of Bolzano

The Autonomous Province of Bolzano is currently discussing Provincial law No 131/97 on the rules governing
subsidised public housing in the province, Article 4 of which specifies that persons living abroad after having
been resident in the province for at least five years (and their spouses, provided they are not separated) who
intend to take up residence in the province again shall be treated, for the purposes of that law, on the same